Plastic washboard

ABSTRACT

A unitary plastic washboard is provided having parallel side members connected with a top cross member, a first intermediate cross member forming a limit between a soapdish arrangement above and a washboard structure below the same, a second intermediate cross member delimiting the bottom of the washboard structure and below which extend the side members forming support legs. All of the side members and cross members are of channel shape having parallel walls all opening at one face of the washboard with cross braces in the channel shapes connected crosswise between the parallel walls at spaced points along the side members and the cross members.

United States Sunday atet [1 1 June 24, 1975 PLASTIC WASHBOARD 22 Filed: May 10, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 468,749

1,489,774 4/1924 May 1,630,170 5/1927 Cook 1. 68/223 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 495,199 5/1950 Belgium 68/223 Primary Examiner-Harvey C, Hornsby Assistant ExaminerPhilip R. Coe

Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Baldwin, Egan, Walling & Fetzer [57] ABSTRACT A unitary plastic washboard is provided having parallel side members connected with a top cross member, a first intermediate cross member forming a limit between a soapdish arrangement above and a washboard structure below the same, a second intermediate cross member delimiting the bottom of the washboard structure and below which extend the side members forming support legs. All of the side members and cross members are of channel shape having parallel walls all opening at one face of the washboard with cross braces in the channel shapes connected crosswise between the parallel walls at spaced points along the side members and the cross members.

7 Claims, 14 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUN 24 I975 SHEET FIG? FIGS

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PLASTIC WASHBOARD There is need today for a small, strong, light and cheap washboard suitable for use in a small sink. The present invention provides such a washboard of a plastic having high strength and stiffness combined with toughness and resilience over a wide temperature range, with high heat distortion temperature, excellent resistance to all types of organic solvents and good abrasion resistance.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and the essential features thereof will be set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of one side of the improved washboard of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the opposite side of the same;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmental perspective view taken generally along the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmental sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5A is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing a modification of the lower intermediate cross member which is cut down in thickness from front to back so as to improve the use of the washboard structure for a washing operation on either side;

FIG. 6 is a plan view taken from the same position as FIG. 2 but showing some integral strengthening ribs running longitudinally;

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of the same taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 6 but showing a plurality of integral strengthening ribs running crosswise of the washboard;

FIG. 9 is a fragmental sectional view taken along the line 99 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 6 but showing diagonal crossing reinforcing members on the back of the washboard structure;

FIG. 11 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line llll of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a view quite similar to FIG. 10 except that a reinforcing circular structure joins the two diagonal reinforcing members where they cross; while FIG. 13 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line l3l3 of FIG. 12.

This invention provides a unitary synthetic plastic washboard consisting of a U-shape outer rim having a longer dimension lengthwise and a shorter dimension crosswise. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the longer dimension includes two parallel outer side members 11, a top cross member 12 rigidly connected with the side members, an upper intermediate cross member 13 and a lower intermediate cross member 14, each connected rigidly between the side members 11, and the side members extending at 11a below the lower cross member 14 to furnish legs.

As clearly seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, all of the side members and cross members are of channel shape having parallel walls 15a and 15b, all connected at one side of the washboard, clearly seen in FIG. 1, by a connecting web 156. All of these channel side members and cross members have their parallel walls opening at the other face of the washboard as clearly seen in FIG. 2. Preferably, but not necessarily, one of the parallel side walls of the channel shape members may be thicker than the opposite wall for purposes of extra strength. This extra thickness is shown in the wall 15a, the outer wall, in FIG. 3 and in the wall 14a of the cross member 14, the lower wall, as seen in FIG. 5.

The structure is further strengthened by cross braces 16 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, connected crosswise between the parallel side walls of the channel shape members at spaced points along the side members and the cross members.

A soapdish bottom 17 is unitarily connected between the top cross member 12 and the upper intermediate cross member 13 and extending between the side members 11 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. This soapdish bottom is shown in the drawings as being at the level of the free edges of the channel side walls 15a and 15b in FIG. 2 so that the soapdish opens upwardly in the view shown in FIG. 1. However, the soapdish might be varied, such as by having one lateral portion thereof opening upwardly in FIG. 1 and the other lateral portion opening upwardly in FIG. 2.

A washboard structure of alternating parallel ridges and grooves completely fills the space between the intermediate cross members 13 and 14 and between the side members 11. Preferably, but not necessarily, the ridges may have an interlaced grooved formation running from end to end of each ridge and somewhat resembling a cable stitch in a knit garment. The washboard structure 18 is shown lying intermediate the front and back edges of side members 11 in FIGS. 3 and 5 but this could be varied somewhat depending upon whether the washboard was intended for use on one side only, or on both sides.

As seen in FIG. 5, the intermediate cross member 14 at the edge containing the web 14c has side walls of less total height than the members ll, 12 and 13. This is to give greater ease in the use of the washboard structure 18 from the left-hand side as viewed in FIG. 5. FIG. 5A shows a modification when the flanges 14d of the lower intermediate cross member 14' are shortened to make it easier to wash on the right-hand side of structure 18 as viewed in FIG. 5A.

If desired, the legs 11a as shown in FIG. 4 might be squared at their lower ends as indicated in dot-dash lines 19 but they also might be cut away as shown in full lines 20 at either one or both faces of the washboard at angles approximately 15 to 30 to the horizontal.

The washboard may be constructed of any suitable plastic material having high strength and stiffness combined with toughness and resilience over a wide temperature range, and with high heat distortion temperature, excellent resistance to all types of organic solvents, and with good abrasion resistance. Suitable resins would be polypropylene or an acetal resin marketed by E. I. DuPont Denemours Co. under the trade name Delrin, or out of Nylon. The plastic material might be used either with or without fiber glass mixed in with the resin to strengthen it.

One prototype model has a total width of about 8% inches and a total length of about 18 inches with the side members 11 being 1 inch from one face of the board to the other. The total thickness of the channel members is about 7/16 inches with wall 15a about 7/64 inches and wall 15b about 5/64 inches. The washboard structure is about 8% inches from top to bottom and the legs 11a are about 4 inches long.

If one wishes to make an all-plastic washboard somewhat larger than the smaller one mentioned herein above, it may be advisable to add additional strengthening reinforcement on the back of the above described structure, that is, on the side exposed in FIG.

In FIGS. 6 and 7, there is shown a structure involving the integral incorporation ofa plurality of parallel, longitudinally extending reinforcing ribs 21 extending from the lower flange of the channel cross member 13 downwardly to the upper flange of the lower intermediate cross member 14, all of these ribs being integrally connected with the washboard structure 18 and terminating at the same level as the open edges of the side members 11, as clearly seen in FIG. 7.

Another modification is seen in FIGS. 8 and 9 where a plurality of reinforcing ribs 22 are formed integrally with, and extending from the inner channel of side member 11 at one side of the structure across to the inner channel of the opposite side member 1 l as clearly seen in FIG. 8. These ribs are integral with the material of washboard structure l8'and terminate at the same level as the members 11, 12, 13 and 14 as clearly seen in FIG. 9.

FIGS. 10 through 13 show another modified form of reinforcement wherein diagonal strengthening ribs 23 extend in X-shape from the upper left-hand corner of members 11 and 13 at one side of the washboard to the lower right-hand corner of the opposite side member 11 and the intermediate cross member 14, for one rib, and from the upper right-hand corner of side member 11 and cross member 13 down to the lower left-hand corner of the opposite side member 11 and the cross I member 14 as clearly seen in FIG. 10. These reinforcing ribs 23 are formed integral with the rest of the washboard and with the corrugated structure 18 and terminate at the same level as the side members 11 as clearly seen in FIG. 11. FIGS. 12 and 13 are like that just described in FIGS. 10 and 11 except that the diagonally crossing ribs 23a are joined at their central crossing point by a circular reinforcing member 24 which is integral with all of the ribs 23a and with the corrugated structure 18. The ribs 32a, and the center reinforcement 24 all terminate at the same level as the side members 11 as clearly seen in FIG. 13.

What is claimed is:

1. A unitary synthetic plastic washboard consisting of a U-shape outer rim having a longer dimension and a shorter dimension; said longer dimension including two parallel outer side members; a cross member connected between said side members at the top; two intermediate cross members connected between said side members parallel to said first named cross member, one nearer the top and the other nearer the bottom of said U-shape rim; a washboard structure of alternating parallel ridges and grooves completely filling the space between said intermediate cross members and said outer side members; said side members extending below said lower intermediate cross member and forming legs there; a soapdish bottom connected between said top cross member and said upper intermediate cross member and said outer side members; all of said outer side members and said cross members being of channel shape having parallel walls all terminating at a common level and all opening at one face of said washboard; and cross braces in said channel shapes connected crosswise between said parallel walls at spaced point along said side members and said cross members.

2. A washboard as defined in claim 1, wherein said plastic has high strength and stiffness combined with toughness and resilience over a wide temperature range, has high heat distortion temperature and good abrasive resistance.

3. A washboard as defined in claim 1, wherein said washboard structure of parallel ridges and grooves lies intermediate the front and back edges of said side members.

4. A unitary synthetic plastic washboard comprising the structure defined in claim 1, and including a reinforcing rib structure on said one face of said washboard and integral therewith, said reinforcing rib structure all terminating at said common level.

5. A unitary synthetic plastic washboard comprising the structure defined in claim 4, wherein said reinforcing rib structure comprises a plurality of spaced parallel linear ribs extending between, and parallel to, said side members, said parallel ribs extending from the lower flange of said upper intermediate cross member to the upper flange of said lower intermediate cross member.

6. A unitary synthetic plastic washboard comprising the structure defined in claim 4, wherein said reinforcing rib structure comprises a plurality of spaced parallel linear ribs extending between, and parallel to, said two intermediate cross members, said parallel ribs extending from the inner flange of one side member to the inner flange of the opposite side member.

7. A unitary synthetic plastic washboard comprising the structure defined in claim 4, wherein said reinforcing rib structure comprises two diagonally crossing linear ribs, one extending from the upper left-hand connection of said upper intermediate cross member and one of said side members to the lower right-hand connection of said lower intermediate cross member and the other of said side members, and the other crossing rib extending from the upper right-hand connection of said upper intermediate cross member and said other side member to the lower left-hand connection of said lower intermediate cross member and said one of said 

1. A unitary synthetic plastic washboard consisting of a U-shape outer rim having a longer dimension and a shorter dimension; said longer dimension including two parallel outer side members; a cross member connected between said side members at the top; two intermediate cross members connected between said side members parallel to said first named cross member, one nearer the top and the other nearer the bottom of said U-shape rim; a washboard structure of alternating parallel ridges and grooves completely filling the space between said intermediate cross members and said outer side members; said side members extending below said lower intermediate cross member and forming legs there; a soapdish bottom connected between said top cross member and said upper intermediate cross member and said outer side members; all of said outer side members and said cross members being of channel shape having parallel walls all terminating at a common level and all opening at one face of said washboard; and cross braces in said channel shapes connected crosswise between said parallel walls at spaced point along said side members and said cross members.
 2. A washboard as defined in claim 1, wherein said plastic has high strength and stiffness combined with toughness and resilience over a wide temperature range, has high heat distortion temperature and good abrasive resistance.
 3. A washboard as defined in claim 1, wherein said washboard structure of parallel ridges and grooves lies intermediate the front and back edges of said side members.
 4. A unitary synthetic plastic washboard comprising the structure defined in claim 1, and including a reinforcing rib structure on said one face of said washboard and integral therewith, said reinforcing rib structure all terminating at said common level.
 5. A unitary synthetic plastic washboard cOmprising the structure defined in claim 4, wherein said reinforcing rib structure comprises a plurality of spaced parallel linear ribs extending between, and parallel to, said side members, said parallel ribs extending from the lower flange of said upper intermediate cross member to the upper flange of said lower intermediate cross member.
 6. A unitary synthetic plastic washboard comprising the structure defined in claim 4, wherein said reinforcing rib structure comprises a plurality of spaced parallel linear ribs extending between, and parallel to, said two intermediate cross members, said parallel ribs extending from the inner flange of one side member to the inner flange of the opposite side member.
 7. A unitary synthetic plastic washboard comprising the structure defined in claim 4, wherein said reinforcing rib structure comprises two diagonally crossing linear ribs, one extending from the upper left-hand connection of said upper intermediate cross member and one of said side members to the lower right-hand connection of said lower intermediate cross member and the other of said side members, and the other crossing rib extending from the upper right-hand connection of said upper intermediate cross member and said other side member to the lower left-hand connection of said lower intermediate cross member and said one of said side members. 